


Shadow

by ishery



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Just a small thing for the ri bros, Ri Family Feels, small but necessary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 15:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5254385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishery/pseuds/ishery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For years he played the shadow that his brother thought that <i>he</i> was... </p>
<p>{Gen, Dori's always been watching out for Nori. }</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadow

_Stop him, if you care so much._ That was a phrase he'd heard with relative frequency when Nori was young and he'd still been trying to protect him.

They didn't understand.

It wasn't easy, with a rebellious sibling and especially not with Nori. He wouldn't listen, remained convinced that what he was doing was the best way to help their struggling family. Good intentions they might have been, but the last thing they needed was for his attempts (fumbling at best in those early years) to land him in more mischief than they could solve.

So, while he went out in the evenings to cause trouble-- Dori followed behind him.

For years he played the shadow that his brother thought _he_ was- lingering out of sight as shady dealings were done, waiting until after he'd watched the spry younger changed his paths and began to make his way back home. He made it his business to make sure that Nori's new "friends" knew what to expect (in graphic detail, when necessary) should any harm come to his brother.

It was incredibly effective.

Nori thought he was invincible.

Perhaps, that was where he'd gone wrong.

Over the years, he watched his brother get better at his chosen "profession" until finally there came a day where Dori found himself unable to chase his brother's shadow any longer. He'd learned his way out of the safety net that had been crafted for him. Whatever might have happened, he was entirely his own.

So, Dori stepped back. Bailed him out when necessary and was always ready to patch, stitch or simply wash blood away- and even though he might have chided and pointed out where the recklessness of it all would ultimately end him up... he was simply glad to know that his brother was okay.

_Overprotective_ , Nori called him.

If he only knew the half of it.

He has always been fairly certain that Nori never discovered the lengths that his elder brother went to in order to protect him. On most days, he prefers it that way. Stubborn as Nori was, he could only imagine the fight that would result in such a discovery. Or, as was entirely more likely, the subsequent vanishing act he was sure to pull.

So he simply shrugs and moves on from words wielded like weapons by his sibling with a smile. They are true after all, even if he fails to see where any harm has come from them. He _was_ overprotective. It had served him well however and he doubted that such a trait would ever end up changing, as deeply rooted in his (their, he supposed) blood as it was.

And if he couldn't help but chuckle watching as Nori began to do the same with Ori, (who was entirely more interested in his lessons than he was the looks that others might have given him, but he watched Nori threaten and glare all the same)...well that would only be for him to know.

**Author's Note:**

> I blame this on skype conversations. The idea would not leave me be, so this tiny little mess came into existence. We always need more Ri family feelings though, okay?
> 
> Of course many thanks to goldberry-in-the-rushes, for beta-ing for me. Otherwise I wouldn't have the courage to post anything at all.


End file.
